DisPLACEd: The Iron Horse

Chapter Five

The further the train cars sat from the tent cluster, the nicer they were. The polished wooden frames shone in the sunlight. Eric saw a a royal blue door with gold lettering on the glass reading: 'Gen. G. Dodge. Chief Engineer'. He grasped the metal railing at the far end of the car, pulling himself up the few steep steps. He stopped at the top, giving himself time to catch his breath, suppressing the urge to cough.

Eric knocked. Nothing. He knocked again, peering through the window but spotting no one inside. He lowered his hand to the doorknob and gave it a twist. It swung open. "Hello?" Eric called out. "Mr Dodge?" He took hesitant steps inside. Dust swirled about the room, re-aggravating his cough. After a moment, his eyes cleared, and he moved closer to the desk. It was covered in papers filled with scribbles he couldn't discern. Underneath were maps of the surrounding landscape. The plan for the Union Pacific leg of the railroad was not yet complete, and Eric wondered how long it would take for Dodge to figure it out.

"Who are you?" A voice boomed from the door. "What are you doing in here?"

Eric's head shot up. The man standing before him was the General Grenville M. Dodge. He was the same height as Eric, but his posture and air of importance made him seem much taller. His beard and coiffed hair looked surprisingly modern and stylish. He wore a simple black suit, his reputation eliminating any need to showcase his war history.

"I'm sorry sir. The Foreman sent me," Eric explained. Dodge was silent, waiting for him to continue. "My name is Eric Lee. I'm an Engineer."

Dodge's eyes examined him from head to toe. Eric shifted uncomfortably, only now realising his 'kind' might not be so welcome there.

"I heard you Chinese are good workers." Dodge pulled a cigar out of his jacket pocket and lit it.

"I'm not Chinese."

"Well, it's good timing." He walked past the student and took his seat behind his desk. "I was just about to wire for some help. We've got a lot of work to catch up on after losing the winter."

Eric smiled. "Let me know where you need me."

Dodge chuckled. "I like you."

The old man led Harley and Reb down aisle after aisle. Reb looked back over her shoulder, trying to remember which path they had taken. They were far from their friends now, and warning bells were going off in her head.

He halted and turned to them. "Here ya go girls. Just what you need."

Reb looked up at the sign hanging above the entrance to the wooden establishment. "A dance hall?" The building had two storeys, with a dance-and-drink business on the ground level, and rooms for rent up top. A painted sign hanging from the second-level balcony read 'Kate's Dance Hall' in lettering much prettier than the rest of the building's facade.

"Yay!" Harley clapped her hands together, holding them to her chest in glee. "I love dancing."

"What a shocker." Reb didn't even try to mask her sarcasm.

"Enjoy your stay." The man left, tottering back the way they had come.

Harley walked forward, stopping when she realised Reb wasn't following her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think this is an appropriate place to stay."

"It's a dance hall." Harley arched an eyebrow, not understanding Reb's complaint.

Reb sighed. "I don't think that's all it is, Harley."

"You two gonna just stand there?" A woman exited the building, stopping and leaning against the verandah bannister, her eyes trained on the girls. She was probably only in her early-thirties, but looked much older.